


Heartbeats

by yeseruri



Series: Kakashi's Side Story [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Angst, Angst is good, Gen, I want an AU where Sakumo is revived for a day, Kakashi and Sakumo convos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 08:10:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11528142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeseruri/pseuds/yeseruri
Summary: "Kakashi...come here, I will teach you how to count your own heartbeat."Kakashi had a small talk with his father in the other world while being on the verge of death. A conversation that taught Kakashi how to feel alive when his chest feels empty.





	Heartbeats

**Author's Note:**

> This was created for a friend's birthday. I did this without a beta, once again. Please forgive me for any kind of grammar issues and mistakes.

_**"Someone...is calling for me"** _

* * *

 

    “The wounds are deep-” One of the medics frowned as another one frantically tried to get the gauze and bandages. Tsunade hopelessly helped her student, who was screaming at Kakashi in despair.

    “Kakashi, you are coming back! Do you hear me!?” Sakura yelled, her voices filled with panic as she intensified the green chakra on her arms. She was desperate to bring back her silver-haired teacher, but for some reason, he doesn’t want to. 

    “I need an oxygen mask!” The beautiful but exhausted head medic screamed. Her pink-haired damped with sweat as her tears dried on her pale cheeks. “Help me stabilize him! Stop the blood!” More yelling, more crying, more panicking…more desperation. 

    Sakura prayed. She hadn’t prayed ever since the war started because she knew they would be able to make it. But this time…the hope was leaving her and she knew that she shouldn’t give up. She didn’t want this, and she doubted Naruto would either. “You have to be here for us…we need you. The team needs you…Sensei” Sakura mumbled as her voice filled with sweetness. It was as if she hoped Kakashi would be awake after hearing that message.

* * *

   _“Kakashi…”_

_“Kakashi…”_

_“Come here with me…”_

    Kakashi felt young again. He could smell the grass of his backyard in his old home. He can feel the warmth of his father hugging him. He was happy, but it felt wrong. 

    “What’s wrong, Kakashi?” Sakumo asked, glancing down at his son who was fidgeting on his laps. “You can’t sleep? Good boy gotta sleep!” The older silver-haired man said and stroke Kakashi’s head.

    “I am not a boy!” Kakashi protested as he sighed. He laid his head on Sakumo’s laps once again and looked down. “It just…it feels wrong being here.”

    “Like how?” His father kept on stroking his head, soothing him as if trying to bring Kakashi back to sleep.

    “My chest felt empty.” The five years old confessed, causing Sakumo to raise his eyebrows in concern. “It felt like…I am not supposed to be here on this earth, this is not where I belong…”

    “So you mean like, being dead? Something like that?” Sakumo asked.

    “Yes, that’s the term.“

    "But that’s not the case.” His father chuckled but he frowned. “I don’t know where you got these ideas from, but you are scaring me kiddo. You are just five, you don’t know what death is…” He looked down at his child in worried. It felt like a bad omen for Sakumo.  

    Kakashi didn’t respond. He said what he felt, but he truly had no explanation for why he felt this way. His chest was empty and hurt, it deprived of life. Kakashi bit his lips and tried to close his eyes, but Sakumo spoke again.

    “Ah, if you are feeling like that, then there’s a way!” The man chirped as he made his son sit up on his laps. “I will teach you how to count your own heartbeat.”

    “I already know how to though…” Kakashi blinked his eyes and wondered where was Sakumo going with this. Kakashi did that Sakumo instructed him anyway and put his finger on the side of his neck, where the veins are. 

    Sakumo told Kakashi to count his heartbeat, to feel the blood moving into the heart as it bumped. “Feel it Kakashi, your heart is working.” The man reassured. “No matter how empty you felt, remember, as long as your heart is beating, you are alive, and I am with you.” The older man smiled and ruffled Kakashi’s silver-haired.  "And remember, if you are alive, you will always have another chance to find your happiness.“

    Kakashi listened as the wind breeze past the small garden. He can hear the birds chirped outside in peace. It took a moment for Kakashi to absorb his father’s words. Once he did, he laid his head on the man’s chest again and tried to go to sleep. But his heartbeat seems to beat harder and louder from the distance. Kakashi slid out of Sakumo’s laps as he glanced around, trying to find where the heartbeat came from. The sound didn’t just ring in his ears anymore, it was echoing all over the backyard. The birds stopped its singing and flew away after hearing the unfamiliar sound.

    "Dad, what is going on?” Kakashi questioned, but Sakumo didn’t answer him. “Dad? Hello, dad?”

     _“Just listen to how strong those heartbeats are, Kakashi…"_

* * *

    "Kakashi-sensei…” Sakura teared up as she gripped Kakashi’s shoulder instead. His breathing was weaker, it seems like Kakashi was losing the fight. She knew deep down that her chakra wasn’t working anymore. Tsunade tried, but no result. One thing left that they can depend on right now was Kakashi’s will to live. “Kakashi-sensei, please wake up!” Sakura screamed and sobbed. She was a mess, and she knew that yelling won’t get anywhere. The nurses tried to yank her away from Kakashi. They wished for the silver-haired man to be in peace until his final breath, but Sakura refused.

     "Kakashi-sensei, don’t leave us here…Naruto needs you, everyone needs you…I need you…“ She said between her sobs, letting her tears fell on his cheeks. She wished that her words can reach him, she wanted to let him know that he is alive-

    "That’s right!” Sakura widened her eyes as an idea came to her mind. She knew this was crazy and irrational, but she needed Kakashi to know. Sakura snatched the stethoscope from one of the doctors. She stretched the ear tubes and covered Kakashi’s ears with its ear-tips. Then she pressed the cold chest-piece on Kakashi’s left chest, where the heart is. The machine was indicating that his heart was about to give out. The line looked almost flat, but Sakura knew it was still beating. 

    “Kakashi, please listen to those sounds…” The pink-haired medic mumbled gently and smiled“-that is your heart beating, Kakashi. _You are alive._ ” Sakura sniffled while her tears kept flowing out. Tsunade and the rest watched in silent. Some were ready to mourn the Legendary Copy Ninja, but Tsunade kept her hopes. 

* * *

    “It’s getting…a bit weaker. The sound I mean-” Kakashi listened as the dimension around him starting to crumble. “What…What is going on?” He blinked his eyes almost in fear as he saw his house disappeared into pieces. Kakashi faced his father once more, but this time, Sakumo was at his eye-level. Kakashi thought his father was getting smaller, but it was Kakashi who became bigger. He was no longer a five years old, he turned back to be a normal Jounin. He wore the usual uniform; the green Konoha’s vest with the proud Konoha’s symbol that he loved so much. 

    “You are right, Kakashi.” Sakumo spoke with a smile on his face. “You don’t belong here…” He continued as he patted his son’s shoulder “Because you are alive, that’s why you don’t belong here.”

    Kakashi tilted his head, wanted to ask Sakumo the meaning of his words. But suddenly, Sakura’s voices caught his attention. “Sakura?” Kakashi looked around, trying to find her. Where was she? Kakashi swore that he heard her voice. 

    “Go, Kakashi,” Sakumo said again as his body became transparent. “Go back, they need you.” He gave Kakashi the last smile. “I will lead you and remember, the only way for you to keep that heartbeat going is _to stay strong_.” Then Sakumo disappeared completely before Kakashi could even reach out. The more he tried, the blinder he became because of the bright light that covered him. “Don’t give up, my son-”

    **“FATHER!”**

* * *

     ** _Beep…Beep…Beep…._**

    “Sakura-sensei! Kakashi-san! He is-” One of the nurses yelled. Sakura flinched as she was brought back to reality, only to see Kakashi’s was…alive, once again.  

* * *

 

 

**_“Dad…thank you…”_ **

 


End file.
